6 Steps to Get AI to Recommend Your Brand

Competitor Analysis Tool

Uncover your competitors' top keywords, backlinks, and traffic sources in seconds. Just enter a domain to get started.

As more businesses launch and expand each year, competition is perpetually increasing. Simply having a good product or service doesn’t cut it anymore. You need a rock-solid differentiation strategy. And that’s where competitor analysis comes in.

The result? Our page now gets 143K clicks in 12 months — a 626% increase.

If you want similar results, you’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll explore:

• What competitor analysis is
• Who benefits from this process
• How to use it for your business

Use Our Free Competitor Analysis Tool to Kickstart the Process

Using our competitive analysis tool is a great way to kick off your research. Just enter a domain to see [SEO metrics](/content/hub/seo/metrics "10 Important SEO Metrics to Track"/index.html) like traffic, backlinks, keywords, and top competitors.

What Is a Competitor Analysis?

A competitor analysis is the process of studying your rivals to see what they’re doing well — and where they’re falling short.

You’ll look at things like:

• Products and services
• Pricing
• [Marketing and advertising](/content/hub/content/content-strategy "What Is a Content Strategy?"/index.html)
• Customer sentiment
• Brand positioning

Competitor analysis is often confused with market analysis. The difference? A [market analysis](/content/how-to-do-a-market-analysis "How to Do a Market Analysis for Your Business in 6 Steps"/index.html) looks at your whole industry. A competitor analysis focuses only on the companies you’re directly competing with. Both are important.

How to Conduct a Competitor Analysis in 8 Steps

1. Identify and Categorize Your Competitors

To understand your competition, go beyond listing familiar names. Start with a search for terms like “yoga studio in Boston” and note which businesses show up.

Collect the names of these businesses and include their product or service and market segment. Once you do that, categorize them into direct and indirect competitors:

• Direct competitors: Offer the same service to the same audience.
• Indirect competitors: Offer a different service that targets a similar customer base.

2. Study Their Customer Segments

Start by reviewing their website. Look at headlines, product pages, and calls to action (CTAs). Sometimes, spotting who they’re not targeting can reveal the biggest opportunities.

3. Research Their Product or Service

Look into what your competitors actually sell — and how they present it. This gives you a clear picture of their priorities, strengths, and blind spots.

4. Observe How They Price Their Product or Service

Pricing isn’t just about cost. It signals value, positioning, and business strategy. Take Dollar Shave Club, for example.

5. Analyze Their Marketing Strategy

Marketing reveals more than just promotion. It shows you where your competitors are investing time and money.

6. Map Out Their Customer Journey

Start by going through the experience like a real customer. Look for:

• How they structure their homepage and product pages
• Whether CTAs are clear and guide you forward

7. Learn What Their Customers Are Saying

What customers say about your competitors can reveal more than any product page or press release. Check public reviews on platforms like G2, Trustpilot, Amazon, or industry-specific directories.

8. Categorize Your Findings Using SWOT Analysis

Once you’ve gathered insights from the previous steps, bring everything together using a SWOT analysis.

• Strengths: Where do you win?
• Weaknesses: What’s slowing you down?
• Opportunities: What trends or unmet needs can you take advantage of?
• Threats: What risks or external pressures could undermine you?

Turn Your Insights Into Action

Once you’ve mapped your SWOT, the guesswork is gone. You’ve got a focused list of what matters.

Monitor Your Competitors to Stay Ahead

Competitive research isn’t a one-and-done task. Set a regular cadence — monthly or quarterly, depending on how fast your industry moves — and run this process on repeat.